‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ chants as army bids farewell to Rajouri hero ‘Kent’ | Watch

Kent laid down her own life in the best traditions of the Indian Army, the defence spokesperson said.

The army on Wednesday bid farewell to Kent, the six-year-old canine soldier that laid down her life in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri while shielding her handler from terrorists.

Soldiers pay their lasts respects to 'Kent' (Image courtesy: ANI)

Soldiers chanted ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ as they paid their last respects to Kent. For the Labrador's final journey, her body was draped with the national tricolour.

Deployed with the 21 Army Dog Unit, the canine sacrificed her life in the best traditions of the Indian Army, the defence spokesperson said.

“Kent was leading a column of soldiers on the trail of fleeing terrorists. She came under heavy hostile fire, and while shielding her handler, laid down her own life in the best traditions of the Indian Army,” said Lieutenant Colonel Suneel Bartwal.

The Rajouri encounter

On Tuesday, a terrorist was gunned down and another soldier martyred in an encounter in the Narla area of the Rajouri district. Three others, including two army jawans and a Special Police Officer (SPO) were injured during the gunfight.

The encounter began after a joint team of the army and the J&K Police's Special Operations Group (SOG), acting on specific inputs, cordoned an area in the Narla village, and was fired at by terrorists.